How to make Chicken Stock (slow cooker & pressure cooker)
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This Chicken Stock recipe is so easy, and requires very little hands-on attention from you, and results in some delicious, very cost-friendly chicken stock.
You’ll use your crock pot/slow cooker or your instant pot/pressure cooker to make this recipe, just set it and forget it while it cooks all day!
So. You roasted a chicken for dinner, and have a chicken carcass in your fridge. Or you got a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, and after the chicken was eaten, you considered throwing the bones away?
Don’t do it! This is a great way to use up all the vegetables in your fridge that are past their best, use a chicken carcass, and get some gorgeously flavored stock to use in your favorite recipes later on.
Whenever I have a bag of carrots that are past their best, but still good – I throw them in a zip lock bag in the freezer. I add celery ends whenever they start to wilt. If I don’t have any freezer veggies – I just use fresh ones from my refrigerator. The point is – this recipe is incredibly forgiving, and very versatile.
Homemade chicken stock is always full of flavor, and I love that you can customize it to your own personal tastes. I do this by adding fresh rosemary, oregano or thyme (or all of them if I have it) to mine.
Use it in a variety of recipes, right here on this site! Try my Risotto Recipe or my Chicken Rice Soup!
FAQs
Great question! A broth is typically made from meat, stock is made from bones. They can be used interchangeably, but where the liquid is a big part of the flavor of the dish – you’ll use stock.
It has a fuller flavor and is thicker, and richer (since when you cook down bones, you’ll get gelatin). For me – stock is used for everything else (and is my go to!)
I do not can this in glass jars, but it can be done. You will need to use pressure for this, the water bath method is not safe for this recipe.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
How to make (slow cooker) Crockpot Chicken Stock
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
JumpAdd all ingredients to a crock pot – chicken bones, roughly chopped carrots (don’t peel), celery, onion (quartered, skin on), peppercorns and some herbs (you choose which ones).
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Add 10 cups of water to the slow cooker, turn on low, and walk away for 8 -10 hours.
Strain the stock of all solids through a fine mesh sieve, and let cool.
Scoop off the fat that will rise to the surface
Divide into freezer friendly containers, or keep in the fridge for a day or two before using.
How to make Instant Pot Chicken Stock
- Add all ingredients to a pressure cooker/instant pot – chicken carcass, roughly chopped carrots (don’t peel), celery, onion (quartered, skin on), peppercorns and some herbs (you choose which ones)
- Add 10 cups of water to the pot.
- Close lid, and set the pressure valve to “seal”
- Cook on Manual at high pressure for 60 minutes, then do a natural pressure release (A natural pressure release is when you leave the pressure release lever in the Sealed position when the cooking time ends. This allows the pressure to release slowly. When the pressure is fully released, the float valve will drop and the lid will unlock and open easily)
- Open lid, drain the stock of all solids through a fine mesh sieve, and let cool.
- Scoop off the fat that will rise to the surface
- Divide into freezer-friendly containers, or keep in the fridge for a day or two before using.
Kylee’s Notes
I do not can this in glass jars, but it can be done. You will need to use pressure for this, the water bath method is not safe for this recipe.
What to do with leftovers
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Use as usual
Substitutions/Additions
- If you have some rosemary, parsley, oregano or thyme in the fridge, throw it in! A bay leaf can also be used for a savory flavor.
- I don’t add salt, but you can if you’d like. I prefer to adjust the seasoning in whatever recipe I use the stock in.
Freezing instructions
This recipe can be frozen. Store in freezer safe containers in 1 or 2 cup portions ready for use in your favorite dishes.
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How to make Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 whole leftover chicken carcass with most of the meat picked off
- 4 large carrots unpeeled, chopped roughly
- 2 celery ribs chopped roughly
- 1 onion leave the skin on cut into quarters
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- fresh herbs
- 10 cups water
Instructions
How to make Chicken Stock in your Crock Pot/Slow Cooker
- Add all ingredients to a crock pot – 1 whole leftover chicken carcass, roughly chopped 4 large carrots (don't peel), 2 celery ribs, 1 onion (quartered, skin on), bay leaf, 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns and some fresh herbs (you choose which ones).
- Add 10 cups water to the slow cooker.
- Turn on low, and walk away for 8 -10 hours
- Drain the stock of all solids through a fine mesh sieve, and let cool.
- Scoop off the fat that will rise to the surface
- Divide into freezer friendly containers, or keep in the fridge for a day or two before using
How to make Chicken Stock in your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
- Add all ingredients to a crock pot – 1 whole leftover chicken carcass, roughly chopped 4 large carrots (don't peel), 2 celery ribs, 1 onion (quartered, skin on), bay leaf, 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns and some fresh herbs (you choose which ones).
- Add 10 cups water to the pot.
- Close lid, and set the pressure valve to “seal”
- Cook on Manual at high pressure for 60 minutes, then do a natural pressure release (A natural pressure release is when you leave the pressure release lever in the Sealed position when the cooking time ends. This allows the pressure to release slowly. When the pressure is fully released, the float valve will drop and the lid will unlock and open easily)
- Open the lid, drain the stock of all solids through a fine mesh sieve, and let cool.
- Scoop off the fat that will rise to the surface
- Divide into freezer-friendly containers, or keep in the fridge for a day or two before using.
Notes
- If you have some rosemary, parsley, oregano or thyme in the fridge, throw it in! A bay leaf can also be used for a savory flavor.
- I don’t add salt, but you can if you’d like. I prefer to adjust the seasoning in whatever recipe I use the stock in.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Make sure to follow @kyleecooks on Instagram for more and tag me #kyleecooks so I can see!Update: This recipe was originally published in September of 2013, and has been updated to improve reader experience. The recipe remains the same
About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
I’ve never made homemade stock but had the chicken bones from a rotisserie chicken, and wanted to try, and this was so easy to make. The meals we used this stock for had so much more flavor!